Russian (RUSS)
Chair: Professor Sigrun Leonhard
Professor: Diane M. Nemec Ignashev
Associate Professor: Laura Goering
Adjunct Lecturer: Anna Mikhailovna Dotlibova
Students considering language study outside the Western European offerings will find the Russian series a refreshing change. In our first-year sequence we cover the fundamentals with equal emphasis on: speaking, listening, writing, and reading, using materials that simultaneously illustrate the basics of Russian culture. In the first term we use folklore with Russian-designed animated computerized exercises. In the second and third terms we develop aural comprehension and pronunciation through folk songs and rock music video; vocabulary, speaking, and cultural competency are enhanced with slide-illustrated histories of Moscow and St. Petersburg. By the end of the third term students are able to read short prose by Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and Tolstoy, and to communicate functionally with native speakers. Beyond completion of the requirement (usually in Russian 204) the Russian section offers classes addressing contemporary Russian cultural and social issues while focusing on skill development at the intermediate level (205-206), and language maintenance courses at the advanced level (301). Students with pre-college Russian, either acquired or native, should consult the department for placement information.
Literature and Cultural Studies:
We teach a variety of courses in English translation which carry no language prerequisites (230-295). Courses at the 330-395 level that are conducted entirely in Russian aim to expand students' linguistic range as well as their understanding of analytical techniques and cultural contexts. See individual listings below for prerequisites.
Requirements for a Major:
63 credits, including the following: Russian 205, 206 or 207; 12 credits of survey courses in English (Russian 240, 242, 244, 255); 18 credits numbered 330 or above (excluding 346), six of which will normally be Russian 395; and the integrative exercise. Up to six credits in Russian 301-308 can be counted toward the major. Remaining credits may be chosen in consultation with the advisor from: departmental offerings, study abroad, appropriate methodology courses, related field work, etc. Students are strongly advised to include Russian and Eurasian courses from other disciplines in their electives.
Study Abroad:
Participation in foreign study programs is highly recommended for students majoring or concentrating in the Russian field. For a description of the Carleton Moscow Program and information about the ACM Krasnodar Program, consult the section "Off-Campus Studies." For more details about these and other options you should consult faculty in the Russian section. Departmental approval of credit for participation in overseas programs should be sought before leaving campus.
Russian Studies Concentration:
For information about the Russian Studies Interdisciplinary Concentration as well as courses in the field outside the department students should consult the separate alphabetical listing.
Certificate of Advanced Study in Foreign Language and Literature or Foreign Language and Area Studies: In order to receive the Certificate of Advanced Study in Russian, students must fulfill the general requirements (refer to Academic Regulations) in the following course distribution: six courses beyond 103, including 205 and two courses at the 330 level (346 excluded). Additional courses may be chosen from among other offerings in the Russian section, History 240-241, Economics 231, and Political Science 323.
Language Houses: Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the language by living in the Language House. A native Russian Resident Associate provides opportunities for conversation practice and assists students in organizing a variety of cultural activities.
Russian Courses
RUSS 100. Doestoevsky A study of Doestoevsky in the context of the complex cultural and political movements of mid-nineteenth century Russia. Readings will include fiction and essays by Dostoevsky and his contemporaries, as well as secondary sources. No knowledge of Russian required. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—L. Goering
RUSS 101. Elementary Russian For students with no previous training in or minimal knowledge of Russian. Simultaneous development of skills in speaking, reading, aural comprehension, writing. Students with prior instruction or who speak Russian at home should consult the department for placement information. Class meets five days a week. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—Staff
RUSS 102. Elementary Russian Continues Russian 101. Prerequisite: Russian 101 or placement. Class meets five days a week. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—Staff
RUSS 103. Elementary Russian Concludes introductory method of Russian 101-102. Prerequisite: Russian 102 or placement. Class meets five days a week. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—Staff
RUSS 107. Moscow Program: Grammar and Conversation This course will focus on continued study of the fundamentals of Russian grammar, vocabulary expansion, and activation. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: For students who have just recently begun their study of the Russian language, having completed or tested beyond elementary Russian 102. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 108. Moscow Program: Phonetics This course is taken in combination with Russian 107. Students focus on the essentials of Russian pronunciation with preliminary work in intonation. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 2 credits cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 109. Moscow Program: Reading. This course is taken in combination with Russian 107. Emphasis on socially relevant material. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 1 credit cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 204. Intermediate Russian Continued four-skill development using texts and resources from a variety of sources. Emphasis on communicative skills. Prerequisite: Russian 103 or placement. Class meets four days a week. 6 credits cr., ND, Fall—D. Nemec Ignashev
RUSS 205. Russian in Cultural Contexts In this course students continue to develop skills of narration, listening comprehension, and writing, while exploring issues of contemporary Russian life and consciousness. The issues are examined from the position of two cultures: American and Russian. The course draws on a variety of sources for reading and viewing, including the periodic press, film, and music. Prerequisite: Russian 204 or placement. 6 credits cr., ND, Winter—A. Dotlibova
RUSS 206. Reading Russian In this course students will develop skills and strategies for reading a variety of authentic texts, including a full-length novel. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or consent of the instructor. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 207. Moscow Program: Intermediate Conversation and Grammar This course aims at vocabulary expansion and the assimilation and activation of formulaic conversational structures and speech etiquette at the same it develops familiarity with more complex principles Russian grammar. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or placement. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 208. Moscow Program: Intermediate Phonetics This course is taken in combination with Russian 207. Students focus on the essentials of Russian pronunciation and correction. Preliminary work in intonation will be offered. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 2 credits cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 209. Moscow Program: Intermediate Reading This course is taken in combination with Russian 207. Emphasis will be placed on socially relevant reading materials. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 1 credit cr., ND, Spring—Non-Carleton Faculty
RUSS 226. Moscow Program: Theory of the Russian Leisure Class This courses focuses on the rise of the upper and slowly but surely, middle classes in contemporary Russia. Discussion will rely heavily on the theories of Carleton alumnus Thorstein Veblen and Russian social philosophers such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Sorokin and on the opinions of our hosts and fellow students at Moscow University. Students will do the majority of their work in English. No prerequisite. 6 credits cr., RAD, Spring—D. Nemec Ignashev
Courses numbered 220-270 are devoted to surveys and topics in translation. Usually, these courses do not carry prerequisites.
RUSS 240. Flight of the Firebird: Peoples, Languages and Legends of Eurasia Cross-listed with LCST 240. This course surveys the diversity of nations--large and small--inhabiting Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Western Siberia. Topics will include geography, historical linguistics, religion, and folklore. Readings from primary and secondary sources will be combined with film, music, and electronic resources. Analytical techniques will range from the encyclopedic catalogues and grammars of eighteenth-century neo-classicism to post-colonialist discourse analysis. Taught in English, foreign language is not prerequisite, but encouraged 6 credits cr., AL,RAD, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 242. Russian Literature in Translation: Short Prose Not sure you're ready for the Russian novel, yet? Russia's best writers (including many women) also collaborated in a rich tradition of short prose. This course traces that tradition from Baba Yaga and the fairy tale to the "little heroes" of the nineteenth century, through the "isms" of revolution and the Soviet period, to the post-Soviet, post-perestroika postmodern. Lectures will provide context, discussion will focus on genre, style, and interpretation. No knowledge of Russian or Russian history is required. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 244. Russian Literature in Translation: The Novel A survey of representative works from the early nineteenth century to the present. Close textual analysis will be combined with discussion of the evolution of the genre in its historical and cultural context. Works by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Bulgakov and others. No prior knowledge of Russian or Russian history is required. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 255. Russian Cinema: History and Theory Cross-listed with MEDA 255. This course offers an historical overview of Russian cinema from its inception before the revolution of 1917, through the Soviet epoch, and into the era of independent Russia. Focus on the history of the medium in its distinctly Russian context is complemented with an overview of Russian film theory as applied in analysis. No prior knowledge of Russian language or culture is required. All films will be subtitled. Format: 2 screenings per week, readings, discussion, short papers. 6 credits cr., AL, Winter—D. Nemec Ignashev
RUSS 257. From Russia with Love? Cross-listed with AMST 257. . This course traces the history of migration from the Russian Empire, Soviet Union and contemporary Russia to North America, the U.S. in particular. Through a combination of lectures and discussion, readings and films, we will examine the contributions these émigrés have made to U.S. culture (from Harley-Davidson motorcycles to Lolita), and the not always easy relations among the communities that have resulted. In translation. No prerequisites. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—D. Nemec Ignashev
RUSS 266. Dostoevsky An introduction to the works of Dostoevsky. Readings include Poor Folk, Notes from the Underground, and The Brothers Karamazov. Taught entirely in English. No prerequisites and no knowledge of Russian literature or history required. 3 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 267. War and Peace Close reading and discussion of Tolstoy's magnum opus. Taught entirely in English. No prerequisites and no knowledge of Russian literature or history required. 3 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 268. Russian Fiction of the Soviet Period "I Want to Be Honest" What avenues of literary expression are open to a writer when the government declares "socialist realism" to be the only acceptable artistic method? In this course we will read novels and short prose written in Russia between 1917 and 1991. Writers to be covered will range from those who conformed in varying degrees to governmental strictures to those who risked their lives to circulate their works underground or publish them abroad. Works by Olesha, Bulgakov, Pasternak, Solzhenitsyn, Tolstaia, and others. In translation. No prerequisite. 6 credits cr., AL, Spring—L. Goering
RUSS 301. Russian Skill Maintenance Continued language practice and skill development, normally for mid-advanced students not currently enrolled in another 300-level Russian course. Weekly conversation-discussion meetings on assigned topics; course materials include current publications, film, video and music. Conducted entirely in Russian. May be repeated according to need; six credits may be counted towards the Russian major. Prerequisite variable; in 2000-2001: Russian 204 or consent of the instructor. 3 credits cr., ND, Fall—A. Dotlibova
RUSS 307. Moscow Program: Advanced Conversation and Writing This course combines advanced work in Russian grammar (largely corrective) and fundamentals in composition, with conversational Russian. Prerequisite: at least 6-12 credits beyond Russian 205-206. 6 credits cr., ND, Spring—Staff
RUSS 308. Moscow Program: Advanced Phonetics and Intonation This course is taken in combination with Russian 307. Students focus on corrective pronunciation and theory and practice of Russian intonation. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 2 credits cr., ND, Spring—Staff
RUSS 309. Moscow Program: Advanced Reading This course is taken in combination with Russian 307. Materials will combine literary classics with the socially relevant. This course is taught by members of Moscow State University Philological Faculty and supervised by the program director. 1 credit cr., ND, Spring—Staff
RUSS 326. Moscow Program: Theory of the Russian Leisure Class This courses focuses on the rise of the upper and slowly but surely, middle classes in contemporary Russia. Discussion will rely heavily on the theories of Carleton alumnus Thorstein Veblen and Russian social philosophers such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Sorokin and on the opinions of our hosts and fellow students at Moscow University. Students will do some reading in Russian; all discussion and writing will also be in Russian. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in Russian 207. 6 credits cr., RAD, Spring—D. Nemec Ignashev
RUSS 333. Russian Literature "For Children" Many well-known Russian writers also wrote literature for children. Some sought new ways of educating; others sought refuge from the constraints of censorship. Some incorporated themes from folklore; others created new characters who became part of the literary culture shared by all Russians. This course will examine the evolution of Russian writing for children from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Works by Tolstoy, Chukovskii, Zoshchenko, Olesha, Kharms, Marshak and others. Conducted in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or equivalent. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 334. Russian Poetry A survey or Russian poetry from the eighteenth century to the present, including an introduction to the terminology and techniques of poetic analysis. Conducted in Russian. Prerequisite: Russian 205 or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 336. Pushkin A study of the major poetry, drama and prose of Russia's most important poet. 6 credits cr., AL, Winter—L. Goering
RUSS 346. Methods of Teaching Modern World Languages Cross-listed with FREN 346,GERM 347,EDUC 346,SPAN 346. Methods of, and curricular materials for, the teaching of modern world languages in the secondary school. Prerequisite: Senior standing, permission of the instructor and Educational Studies 234. 6 credits cr., ND, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 351. Chekhov's "Wedding" This course, taught entirely in Russian, examines Chekhov's The Wedding in its historical, theatrical, and cultural context. A vital part of this course will be students' active participation ñ acting, dramaturgy, stage or costume design ñ in a full-scale production of Chekhov's Wedding. In addition to The Wedding students will read a selection of other works by Chekhov and his contemporaries, as well as supplementary historical and cultural source material on the production of the play. 6 credits cr., AL, Fall—A. Dotlibova
RUSS 395. Senior Seminar Recent topics have included "The Cult of Stalin," "Reading Chekhov," and "Moscow and Muscovites." Prerequisite: at least 6 credits at the level of Russian 330 or higher or permission of the instructor. 6 credits cr., AL, Not offered in 2000-2001.
RUSS 400. Integrative Exercise 6 credits cr., S/NC, ND, Winter,Spring—Staff